Auditorium & Culture Center

A main aspect of the design was connecting with the spirit of the Yemin Orde Youth Village and the people there. The design puts an emphasis on human interactions as an essential part of the building’s organization. The building is respectful to its natural and human environment, while creating human scale architecture. It was important to design a place that evokes modernity and progress while simultaneously is faithful to its roots, by using local materials and landscaping as an integral part of the design.

Another important aspect to the design was to create a building that is community oriented. Therefore, there were many spaces, interior and exterior, that create varies meeting locations and different interactions between the users. The observation deck overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, located on the roof of the auditorium, is designed for formal and informal leisure activities and facilitates the building for social meeting. In addition, the building as a whole is designed in a way that it connects the people within. The Atrium connects the upper entrance area with the auditorium entrance and connects between the different functions of the building. The movement between the various activities in the atrium creates a variety of opportunities for meeting other people.

The design creates a clear division into areas that are defined by different types of activities and thus contributes to the building’s clarity. Furthermore the clear circulation in the atrium as well as its transparency contributes to the clarity and orientation within the building hereby reinforcing a sense of comfort and wellbeing.

The Auditorium and culture center creates a dialog between the building and nature by embracing the landscape. The village is surrounded by nature and the landscape of the Carmel with its diverse and rich vegetation. The site can be seen from many directions; therefore, all the facades of the building are designed to be viewed, including the fifth facade (the roof), while the design of the facades is inspired by the limestone rocks of the Carmel. The unique location of the project enables the framing of the natural landscape and the sea, making them an integral part of the building. The observation deck with its integrated vegetation strengthens the connection to nature. Combining “islands” of vegetation and trees is complementary to the cantilevered roof at the entrance. It creates shade and a pleasant environment for visitors, as well as strengthens the presence of nature.

The buildings levels are adjusted to the topography of the site and are integrated into the landscape. They create a continuum between the roof of the auditorium building and the level of the upper access road and enable high access to the building and to the observation deck. Creating a Using the topography to place most of the building below street level reduces the concealment of the landscape and frees open spaces in its surrounding area including on the street level.

The building was designed using the green building principles. There is an integration of passive climate planning with intelligent systems in order to save energy and preserve environmental resources: The public spaces have been designed to maximize the use of natural light and ventilation, thermal insulation of walls and openings, cost-effective electrical system and control systems, use of colors and anti-allergens material and restoration of water saving local plants.